VISITING WITH FRIENDS

John Samson has every reason to be proud. Last May he fulfilled the dreams of his father, Warren, and his cousin, Tony, when he and wife, Janice, opened the pages of their family history and visited Oberschopfheim, Germany. Like most people, John never gave much thought to his family’s background. He had a vague idea that they came from Germany, but never really took an interest until May 10, 2001, when, after visiting his father, he and Janice stopped to see his cousin, the late Tony Samson in Ste. Genevieve. It was after his wife had prodded “Don¹t you have a cousin on 4th Street?”

The decision was made to visit John's cousins Tony and Margaret Samson. They were having a pleasant visit when somehow the conversation got around to the early immigrants of the family, John’s great-great-great grandparents, Karl and Josephine (Feisst) Samson. Where did they come from? Tony knew he had a typed page from a distant cousin, Charles Alvin Samson, that included that information, but he had given it to his daughter, Mary. Tony also told him he always wanted to pursue that but never did. “Would you do that for me?”, he asked John. So John called Mary who, after a little digging, found the paper and gave him the name of the town, Oberschopfheim.

John started searching right away. He posted a query on Ebay asking for anything associated with Oberschopfheim, and on the Ste. Gen. genealogy page. He received replies from several distant cousins in the states and also one from Berthold Weiner of Constance, Germany. Weiner wanted his mailing address. Weiner traveled to Oberschopfheim, purchased a history of Oberschopfheim and sent it to John. John learned there was a shooting club in Oberschopfheim, so he joined it before he ever visited there. The book, which included the town history from the 1700s, was in German and John couldn’t read it, but he could pick out a few words and phrases. He found the name Karl Samson and the words “stone quarry” and “mayor.” It was enough to inspire him to search further.

He shared the information he had gathered with his father, and saw the pride in his eyes that his son had learned so much about the family history. John really had the fever now. “It just seemed like Tony and Dad and all of them were right there pushing me,” he said. Gabby Wiedele of the Offenburg Genealogy Society also saw John’s post and contacted him. Renee Hauser of Zell-Weierbach is in the same society and she offered to help. She made the contacts for him in Germany one of which was the mayor of Oberschopfheim. He had asked to meet the mayor of Oberschopfheim, Wilhelm Erhet, since his 4th great uncle Karl was mayor there from 1837-1846; to visit the old stone quarry between Oberschopfheim and Diersburg that his 4th great uncle and his great-great-great grandfather Karl had owned; and mentioned other interests too. “Renee was the one that made this possible,” John said.

With all the arrangements made, John and Janice flew to Germany on May 7, 2004, for a two-week whirlwind visit in his homeland. In Oberschopfheim they stayed with Karl Heinz and Ute Huck who catered to their every whim. They took their American friends to visit many points of interest from Strasbourg, France, to the Bodensee, stopping at the Hofbauernhaus, a museum of early life in the area, and the House of 1000 Clocks in Triberg.

They also visited D’Epfig, France, where the Gettinger family, originated; and the Gremminger home place in Fessenbach. Both of these are also in John’s ancestry. There are no Samsons today in Oberschopfheim, however John and Janice visited the house occupied by the Samsons from 1781 to the 1850s. Ottmar Geiger who was happy to show them through it now owns the home.

John also got the chance to take a few shots at the shooting club. John’s ancestors were among 100 residents to leave Oberschopfheim. Other descendants had visited the town before to get information, but John and Janice were the first to stay and be Oberschopfheimers for a while. So the town held a “Samson Day.” John and Janice visited the mayor’s office, the same building his ancestor occupied as mayor from 1837-1846.

Mayor Willi Ehret took off at noon and escorted them to the Samson Quarry, the remains of which are still visible. Today the county owns the quarry. Production stopped there about the 1880s, but the quarry was generally successful in the 1830s and 1840s. It produced red sandstone that was used to build the Ortenburg Castle and an Evangelical Church in Offenburg. Both are still standing. The mayor assured the Samsons that if John wanted to return and reopen the quarry, the town would grant him the privilege. While the offer was very kind, John has chosen to stay in Sainte Genevieve Missouri.

That evening a big celebration was held at city hall with all the town officials and social representatives present. Mayor Ehret presented him with two stones from the quarry of his ancestors. John presented the mayor with a 1985 commemorative coin of Ste. Genevieve that belonged to his late father. He also gave the town a crocheted wall decoration, handmade by Millie Kraenzle, with the town name, Oberschopfheim, spelled out on it. John and Janice still thrill at the melody of the Badner Anthem, which was so beautifully performed by the music group, and residents of Oberschopfheim. With his hand on his heart, he expressed a oneness with his family in Oberschopfheim the first time he heard it.

Today he listens to it on his computer and truly feels its significance. For him now it really is “My Badnerland.” John and Janice are at the old Samson stone quarry. They hold a red sandstone, presented to them by the current mayor of Oberschopfheim, Wilhelm Ehret. The quarry was owned by John’s fifth great grandfather, Karl Samson, and his son, Karl Samson. Oberschopfheim Mayor Wilhelm Ehret (from left) joins Janice and John as three regional news reporters in Germany snap a shot of them early in the day dedicated to the Samson's of Oberschopfheim